Fevziye Mosque  (Mehmet Bey Mosque)

 

The first architect of Fevziye Mosque which was built with the order of Mehmet Bey, one of the notables of izmit, in 1576 today's Kemalpasa Neighborhood on Hürriyet Caddesi, was famous architect Mimar Sinan. However the mosque was destroyed many times with natural disasters and fires and was rebuilt. With all these repairs and re-building the historcal texture of the mosque changed very much and in every period its unique architectural style shown itself somehow. Many buildings that were included in its social faculties now do not exist. Among these the muvakkithane (time adjusting house – clock setting house) is the one with most interesting function. Therefore with the constructions mentioned the building style has changed and in the meantime its name changed as well.

 

Fevziye Camii was first constructed for the spirit of Mehmet Bey in a few years after his death, who was the chamberlain of Grand vizier Rüstem Pasa and son of Kanuni Sultan Süleyman. Later on in the great earthquake in 1719 the structure with dome was destroyed and it was built with tiled roof in two years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its third construction, was a few years later. As the result of the fire in the years between 1756-57 Fevziye Mosque was largely damaged. The mosque was rebuilt again by Hacı Halil Ağa, from izmit notables. The mosque brunt again in 1836 in the great fire. It was built by Kaptan-ı Derya Ahmet Fevzi Pasa and was opened to prayer by the sultan of the period, Sultan 2nd Mahmut, in 1836. Since Ahmet Fevzi Pasa, was successful in the construction of the mosque, Sultan 2nd Mahmut called the mosque 'Fevziye'. It is even said that in the opening of the mosque, sultan prayed by saying, “may it not be destroyed again.” But in the earthquake in 1894 mosque was harmed again, and was completely destroyed.

 

The walls were re-constructed in tile and stones. It was again opened for prayer in 1898 by Sultan 2nd Abdülhamit Han's on his enthronement day as a bonus from Sultan. The mosque was open until recently. However, as the result of Marmara Earthquake in August 17 th 1999, mosque was heavily damaged. For the sixth time, it was destroyed and its foundation was laid on April 26, 2002 and was finished with the contributions of mosque association and the citizens and was opened to prayer on January 30th, 2004. Additionally the Project of the park near the mosque was prepared again and it was given a contemporary look. Fevziye Mosque Park, arranged in a total area of 10 thousand meter square, was turned into a recreation center with a lake with the appearance of a natural brook, water arch, seating groups, and cafeterias.